DAILY UPDATE.

COLLEGES

Antelope Valley College 

Behind the play of Brandun Mates and Damien Seals, the men's basketball team is off to a 5-0 start.

Mates is averaging 21 points per game and was the MVP of the Fullerton tournament, which AVC won last weekend. Seals, who is averaging 12 points per game and a team-high six rebounds, was named to the all-tournament team.

The Marauders play L.A. Harbor in the first round of the Oxnard tournament.

- Sean Ceglinsky

HIGH SCHOOLS

Antelope Valley 

Hart's football offense is usually the most feared in the area. But Antelopes assistant coach Brandon Newcomb is more concerned with the Indians' defense as Antelope Valley prepares to play host to Hart in the second round of the Division III playoffs Friday.

``A lot of people talk about their offense, but they wouldn't be where they are if not for their defense,'' Newcomb said. ``I think their offense benefits from the opportunities their defense gives them. I would take (defensive lineman) Chris Frome over any of the quarterbacks they've had.''

- Matthew Kredell

Highland

The University of Southern Mississippi women's volleyball team finished with a 9-19 record and a first-round loss in the Conference USA tournament, but two Highland graduates, Brynn Olsson and Amy Truong, had successful freshman seasons.

Olsson started for most of the season at defensive specialist. She finished with a team-best 264 digs, an average of three digs per game. Truong served as the Eagles' backup setter and defensive specialist and totaled 127 digs.

- Rich Hammond 

Lancaster

Former Lancaster soccer player Danny Dopler finished his sophomore season at Sonoma State having appeared in 11 of the Cossacks' 20 games. The defender, who showed progress by earning four starts, had one assist.

Sonoma finished 12-7-1.

- Heather Gripp

Littlerock

Quarterback Joe Fields, who threw for a career-high 282 yards in the Lobos' Southern Section Division III playoff loss to Crescenta Valley last week, doesn't plan on continuing his football career.

``I'm kind of sad it's over, but maybe I'll play one more game in the A.V. all-star game this summer,'' he said.

- Gerry Gittelson

Palmdale

Going for a big upset over a top-seeded football team often leads to taking some chances. But Palmdale coach Jeff Williams said he doesn't plan on doing anything tricky Friday in the second round against Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks. Notre Dame's first-round opponent, Burroughs of Burbank, tried two fake punts, one of which was successful.

``I think we are at our best when we go right at them,'' Williams said. ``We get into trouble when we try to be too finessey.''

- Matthew Kredell

Paraclete

Spirits star running back Curtis Brown didn't practice Monday and was on crutches after suffering a sprained right foot in last week's Southern Section Division XII first-round win over Bosco Tech.

Brown said he should be fine for Friday's second-round matchup at San Jacinto. Coach Jeff Cortez listed him as probable but is concerned how effective Brown can be if the foot isn't fully healed.

``If he can't play, (running back Erick Jackson) will have to pick up some of the load, (quarterback John Taylor) will have to pick up some of the load and so will (fullback Nick Hernandez),'' Cortez said.

- Chris Cocoles

Quartz Hill

Quartz Hill product Doug Carlton, a sophomore linebacker at Antelope Valley College, had a solid regular season for the Marauders. He played in eight of 10 games and finished with 26 total tackles, including one sack.

Carlton also had one quarterback hurry and a pass deflection for an AVC team headed for the Potato Bowl to meet host Bakersfield College on Dec. 1.

- Chris Cocoles